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In 2004, Facebook launched to little fanfare. Today, approximately 25% of the world’s population uses it every month, and Facebook describes its mission as to create a "global community for bringing people together."

In this lesson, students write a quadratic function to model the number of possible connections between users on a social network. They use information about how Facebook has grown over time to determine how the number of connections has changed, and discuss whether this technology is expanding our perspectives or reinforcing those we already have.

REAL WORLD TAKEAWAYS

  • As a social network grows, the number of possible connections among users grows by more and more.
  • Because Facebook users interact with a fraction of other users, not all of these possible connections are realized.
  • Facebook allows us to connect with new ideas; it also allows us to disconnect from ideas we don’t agree with.

MATH OBJECTIVES

  • Given a pattern, create a rule to determine the next value in the sequence.
  • Write and graph a quadratic function to model a real-world scenario; interpret the meaning of a non-linear rate of change
  • Evaluate a quadratic function for different values of x.

Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.
Algebra 1
Quadratics & Solving
Algebra 1
Quadratics & Solving
Content Standards A.CED.2 Create equations in two or more variables to represent relationships between quantities; graph equations on coordinate axes with labels and scales. F.IF.7 Graph functions expressed symbolically and show key features of the graph, by hand in simple cases and using technology for more complicated cases. (a) Graph linear and quadratic functions and show intercepts, maxima, and minima. (b) Graph square root, cube root, and piecewise-defined functions, including step functions and absolute value functions. (c) Graph polynomial functions, identifying zeros when suitable factorizations are available, and showing end behavior. (d) (+) Graph rational functions, identifying zeros and asymptotes when suitable factorizations are available, and showing end behavior. (e) Graph exponential and logarithmic functions, showing intercepts and end behavior, and trigonometric functions, showing period, midline, and amplitude. F.BF.1 Write a function that describes a relationship between two quantities. (a) Determine an explicit expression, a recursive process, or steps for calculation from a context. (b) Combine standard function types using arithmetic operations. For example, build a function that models the temperature of a cooling body by adding a constant function to a decaying exponential, and relate these functions to the model. (c) (+) Compose functions. For example, if T(y) is the temperature in the atmosphere as a function of height, and h(t) is the height of a weather balloon as a function of time, then T(h(t)) is the temperature at the location of the weather balloon as a function of time.
Mathematical Practices MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. MP.4 Model with mathematics. MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

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